Page 17 of Beached Wedding

“I think when you stop feeling comfortable?” He quirked a brow at me. “I don’t actually have any, just the pair still damp from my swim. I’ll wear Shane’s shirts and boardies, but I won’t wear his grundies.”

“Oh.” So he was naked under that robe? A vision started to form in my head before I hurriedly erased it, but my cheeks still tingled with a blush. I shrugged inside my robe. “I kept my thong on.”

“Oh.” He turned his nose to the front of the car. Cleared his throat. “I’ve only had a massage in Thailand and they don’t care. Not that kind,” he added quickly, cutting me a stern glance.

“Right.” I rolled my eyes, smirking.

He frowned at my skepticism. “I’m fussy about who touches my junk. I sure as hell don’t pay strangers to play with it.”

You didn’t know Izzy, I wanted to say, but bit my lips into a line, unsure why I cared one way or another. I found a quirky smile.

“Since I’ve seen what you’re like if someone asks to borrow your pen, I’m inclined to believe you.”

“I don’t even like to share a bar of soap,” he muttered. “Probably because I spent so much time with one in my mouth as a kid.”

“Soap? Or junk?” I batted innocent lashes at him.

He pursed his mouth. “I’m going to let you have that because you’re my friend and you need cheering up.”

I grinned, marginally cheered. Bantering with Fox was always fun. I’d missed him.

More than Shane? I brushed that thought aside, but it didn’t erase the troubling knowledge that if I didn’t move to Australia, I wouldn’t see Fox again.

That thought hit me like a sucker punch, landing so hard I had to take a deep breath to absorb it.

The elevator doors opened. Fox stuck out a hand to hold them open while I ducked my face and scooted out ahead of him, disturbed. All my emotions were at eleven right now, I reasoned. I wouldn’t lose touch with him just because he forced my wedding to be called off. We could still be friends. Couldn’t we?

Maybe I could still go to Australia and— No. I couldn’t. My plan had hinged on having a home and a job. Fox might be willing to keep me on at T&B, but I couldn’t work with Shane. I didn’t want to. Not anymore.

This was so weird. How was I this upset at the idea of not seeing Fox, yet totally fine with the prospect of moving around the world and probably never seeing Izzy again?

Fox checked us in at Reception and handed me one of the forms on a clipboard to fill in my medical history. I tried to put things back to silly banter by holding out my pen.

“Can we switch?”

“Sure.” He absently offered his pen and didn’t get the joke until I failed to take his. “Oh. You’re hilarious.”

I had thought so, but now I wondered what it meant that he was willing to let me use his pen without question.

It meant nothing. He could get a fresh one from the desk if he wanted. I was being silly.

A woman named Inga came to get us a few minutes later. She led us outside to a hut big enough for two massage tables and a shelf full of towels. One wall was open to the surf. A gentle breeze wafted in with the lulling noise of the churning waves.

“This is my husband, Ikaika,” Inga introduced.

The Hawaiian looked like a pro wrestler who broke sturdy men like Fox over his meaty thigh to make kindling for a luau. He shook Fox’s hand and glanced over his paperwork while Inga did the same with mine. They asked about allergies and other concerns.

“I’ll get handouts and your gift basket while you’re having your lesson,” Ikaika said.

“Wait. What lesson?” Fox and I spoke over each another.

“I’m going to show you some techniques so you can give each other a massage anytime you want.” Inga smiled and nodded at Ikaika as he left.

“Oh. Um...” I cast an uncertain look at Fox.

He shrugged.

“Before you start, make sure you have everything the way you want it.” Inga indicated the room. “You don’t want oil on your hands before you set your phone to Do Not Disturb or realize the music is too loud. Have some towels handy,” she advised as sheset a couple of hand towels on the end of one massage table. “I can close the curtain if the light or the breeze will disturb you?”

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